Boat attachment



y 1959 z. J. JAGIEL 7 2,886,462

BOAT ATTACHMENT Filed March 18, 1957 INVENTOR; 9010/70 d daj// United States Patent BOAT ATTACHMENT Zigmund J. Jagiel, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Jagiel Air Boat Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 7 Application March 18, 1957, Serial No. 646,887

3 Claims. (Cl. 115-17) This invention relates to boats and is particularly directed to a motor carrier and stabilizer for use with small boats powered by outboard motors.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 581,756, filed April 30, 1956, now abandoned.

It has heretofore been proposed to improve the stability of small boats employing outboard motors by rigidly attaching to the transom thereof small fin-like extensions which act, in effect, as an extension of the lower surface of the boat and extending rearwardly beyond the point of attachment of the outboard motor. It has also been proposed to attach the outboard motor to the transom of the boat in a recessed portion of the rear of the stern thereof so that the motor is partially housed.

' Many small boats powered with outboard motors lack stability in tight or small radius turns and are found to be subject to pounding and similar disturbances resulting primarily from the unbalance created by the heavy engine at the extreme end of the boat. It is further recognized that outboard motors transmit such severe vibrations to the hull of the average small boat that the entire hull acts as a sounding board and increases the noise of operation to an objectionable extent. Attempts are being made to remedy the noise problem by using vibration isolating motor mounts, but the progress in this direction is quite slow.

Most small boats equipped with outboard motors will plane or assume a substantially horizontal position or attitude over the water after the boat has reached a high speed but revert to a position in which the bow of the boat extends upwardly at a substantial angle during low speed operation. The time required for the boat to reach full speed is, in most instances, relatively long so that satisfactory planing does not take'place as promptly as is desirable and will not continue when the boat is operated at lower speeds.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mount for an outboard motor to be attached to the transom of a small boat which will substantially improve the planing qualities of the boat by greatly reducing the time required for the boat to assume a horizontal attitude.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor mount for an outboard motor which will improve the stability of the boat to which it is attached and which will enable shorter or tighter radius turns.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor mount for outboard motor-powered boats in which hull transmitted noise is substantially reduced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a boat having an attachment thereon incorporating the present invention but omitting the housing of an outboard motor;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an attachment con- 2,886,462 Patented May 12, 1959 itructed in accordance with the invention apart from the oat;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a boat having a motor carrying attachment thereon constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary and somewhat diagrammatic view of a motor and attachment showing the position assumed during the initial phase of operation of the boat.

Referring to the drawings, a boat attachment according to the present invention comprises a lateral base member having a pair of similar and diverging fin-like members 10 extending therefrom. The fin forming base is attached to a frame 12, the base of the frame forming the bight portion of a U-shaped motor carrying member. The forward portion of the U-shaped frame comprises an upwardly extending forward plate 14 which is attached by a horizontal portion 15 to a hinge leaf 16. The hinge leaf cooperates with spaced mating leaves 17 and 18 so that a single hinge pin extending through the leaves 16, 17 and 18 attach the horizontal frame plate to a clamping channel member 19 which may be attached in any suitable manner to the transom of a boat as by the usual thumb screws 20 and 21. It will be apparent that any suitable hinge connection may be arranged between the forward frame plate 14 and the transom receiving clamping channel 19 and the hinge may be of the vibration damping type if desired.

The base of the U-frame 12 is also connected to an upwardly extending rear frame plate 24 which is spaced from the forward plate 14 of the frame a distance suflicient to permit an outboard motor clamping and attaching member to be readily attached to the upwardly extending rear frame plate 24. The usual transom clamps of the motor are used for the attachment, although special attaching screws may be provided if desired, it being only necessary that the motor be carried by the upwardly extending frame plate 24 rather than by the transom of the boat.

The rear frame plate 24 is extended outwardly at its base over each of the fins 10 to assure that any swinging motion imparted to the rear frame plate 24 will be imparted equally to the fins 10.

The frame base 12 and forward plate 14 are made of a relatively flexible sheet metal and the base member 12 is capable of flexing about the line defined by the intersection of the base member 12 and the forward and upwardly extending plate member 14. It will be seen that the weight of the motor when mounted on the rear plate member 24 tends to cause such flexing since it is applied downwardly and rearwardly of the line of intersection. Thus, when the boat is at rest the motor tends to swing downwardly about the line of intersection or flexure.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the motor supporting rear plate 24 is provided with one or more spaced rod members 30 which are anchored at one end to the forward plate member 14 and which pass freely through holes in the rear plate member 24 and extend rearwardly thereof. Compression springs 32 are disposed between the rear plate 24 and washers 34 are carried on the rod members so that downward swinging movement of the rear plate member 24 compresses the springs 32. Thus the motor is limited in the extent to which it can swing downwardly when at rest, the swinging taking place about the line of flexure between the base 12 and the forward plate member 14 as above described.

If desired, angular brace members 36 may be attached to the base 12 and the upwardly extending rear plate member 24 to stiffen this portion of the assembly.

When the boat is not in motion the motor assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the axis of the motor is tipped substantially from the vertical position. Thus the propeller tends not .only -to :drive the .boat forward, if started, but tends also to .raise the stern of the boat since it imparts a substantialwertical component of force thereto.

-As the boat gets under way the vertical thrust oftthe propeller raises the stern of the boat higher .and higher in the water -;and the boat -quickly assumes a planing attitude and, :due also .to :the propeller thrust, the :motor swings to its normal substantially vertical position :shown in.Eig. v3.

.After the boattis underway :and is planing, the presenee of .the .fins l imparts greatly improved stability to the .boat not only .longitudinally but laterally since the forceof the Water against the underside of .the fins brings theattachment up .to its desired position with the fins riding substantially on thesurface of .thewater and any force tending to .tip the .boat is greatly resisted. It hasibeenfound that thefins'greatly decrease any .tendency of the .boat .to :capsize .in trough water 'or small .radius turns. .The Lfins also have the effect of damping the vibration of the motor. so vthatitis not transmitted through the fframezto the :clampingzchannel '19 "and into .thehull of the boat. The .noise of operation of the usual .motoris thus greatly reduced by the combined isolation and damping of its vibration.

.ln operation the attachment isfixed to the transom T of a boat B either directly or through. any vsuitablernounting strip to which the channel 19 may be connected. Screws 20 and 21 are then tightened and-the outboard motor designated M is then .mountediin its usual-manner on the rear support plate or frame member 24. Once the motor has been mounted it is capable of being swung about the hinge formed .by leafs 16, 17 and .18 .intoxthe boat forinspection'and/repair as indicated tin-Fig. 3. In

4 general the length and divergen'ce of the -fins 10 will be such that the widest portion of the fins substantially equals or may slightly exceed the maximum beam of the boat to which the device is attached.

As previously stated, when the boat first gets under way the thrust of the propeller imparts a substantial upward component of force to thesternof the boat causing it to assume a horizontal -.or planing attitude very quickly. The boat is thus enabled to operate in shallow water.

What l:cla'im is:

1. An attachment for a 'boat, comprising a transverse base,.fin members extending rearwardly from said base,

" a U-shaped frame attached at its bight portion to said base and having upwardlyflextending forward and rear plates, means to attach the forward plate of said frame to the transom of a boat, said rear plate being adapted to receive a motor, the connection between the bight portion .1o'f=said frame and said :forward plate being flexible to permit a motor mounted .on said :rearplate to cause downward tilting movement of said base and fins'when at rest.

2. An attachment in accordance with claim 1 in which said attaching means for said forward plate includes a hinge.

3."The'combination defined in claim 1 and adjustable resilient means to resist downward tilting movement 'of said base and fins.

References Cited in theme of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,576,744 Anderson Nov. 27, v1951 2,748,743 Shogran June 5, 19.56 2,791,196 Strarrg May 7, 1957 

1. AN ATTACHMENT FOR A BOAT, COMPRISING A TRANSVERSE BASE, FIN MEMBERS EXTENDINGREARWARDLY FROM SAID BASE, A U-SHAPED FRAME ATTACHED AT ITS BRIGHT PORTION TO SAID BASE AND HAVING UPWARDLY EXTENDING FORWARD AND REAR PLATES, MEANS TO ATTACH THE FORWARD PLATE OF SAID FRAME TO THE TRANSOM TO A BOAT, SAID REAR PLATE BEING ADAPTED TO RECIEVE A MOTOR, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BIGHT PORTION OF SAID FRAME AND SAID FOWARD PLATE BEING FLEXIBLE TO PERMIT A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID REAR PLATE TO CAUSE DOWNWARD TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID BASE AND FINS WHEN AT REST. 